Stretch of Gatineau Park road to go car-free

By CBC News Ottawa, November 6, 2019

The National Capital Commission will ban motorized vehicles from one stretch of road through Gatineau Park in 2021.

The commission said Wednesday it would be permanently dedicating the north loop of the Gatineau Parkway to pedestrians, cyclists and other  "non-motorized forms of transportation."

The north loop runs between Gatineau Park's P8 and P9 parking lots.

Drivers will be prohibited on the loop once the municipality of Chelsea, Que., completes rehabilitation work on nearby Meech Lake Road, the commission said.

Avoids road widening

The decision avoids having to widen Meech Lake Road for a dedicated cycling lane, which would be expensive and could have "significant adverse impacts" on the park's ecology, the NCC said in a statement.

"This closure will also provide a stretch of the Gatineau Parkway for the exclusive use of all active users," the NCC said.

Chelsea will continue looking into "options for a safe shared route" on Meech Lake Road, the NCC said, since cyclists will still use it once repairs are complete.

The repair work is expected to wrap up by the spring of 2021.